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Photo gallery: Who is Dr. Pol?

Dr. Jan Pol didn’t set out to be the face of veterinary medicine. But with a new documentary show on National’s Geographic Network’s National Geographic Wild called “The Incredible Dr. Pol,” he certainly has attracted some attention.
The rural Michigan mixed-animal practitioner is giving audiences a glimpse of the challenges faced by veterinarians, from dealing with clients, handling tough cases and running a business. Keep clicking to see some fun facts about Dr. Pol.

A native of the Netherlands, where he grew up on a dairy farm, Pol speaks four languages—English, Dutch, French and German. While attending veterinary school in the Netherlands, Pol’s textbooks were printed in German because Dutch translations of the material did not exist.

Dr. and Mrs. Pol have been married for 44 years and helped design their log home themselves. All of the Pol’s children are adopted. Their daughter Kathy and their son Charles from birth, and their daughter Diane at the age of 18, after having been their foster child for 10 years.

Pol is an avid car collector. Among the cars in his collection are a 1937 Rolls Royce, a 1999 Plymouth Prowler, and a 1981 “Back to the Future” DeLorean. He is also color-blind and has trouble with green and brown.

Pol and his wife Diane started their business out of their garage in 1981. The business has since grown and has amassed over 19,000 clients. Pol is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Michigan and the Netherlands.

See the full story on Dr. Pol in the November issue of DVM Newsmagazine.